Leland chuckled at that question and kissed her forehead. "No. I would have chosen to continue playing the role of a bachelor duke that is a keen businessman. No woman would pay attention to me because they believe I am disfigured anyway."
"That is true…" Sophie felt a bit pleased to hear her husband say that. She grabbed his hand and squeezed it lovingly. "So from what you've told me so far is that you mean to say that I will finally be attending these noble parties with you?"
Leland raised a brow and actually wanted his mate to stay at home, but he smiled and nodded. "I would have preferred to keep you to myself, but I believe that when people see you, my ruse as a nobility from Frisia will be maintained well."
"These people will probably think I married you for wealth…" Sophie suddenly said with a sigh. "You came from Frisia and married a woman here in Riga."
Leland's eyes narrowed. "They will regret it if they ever dare say it in your face and try to sully your name."
"I wasn't worried about it." Sophie smiled at him and reassured her husband. "Just a little disappointed that perhaps Cawden Academy has trained me far too well for this day. My experiences in the academy won't be that different."
"It will be different though," Leland said.
"And why is that?"
"The difference is that you will have me, Sophia." Leland gently raised her hand and kissed it softly. "I swear that I will do everything within my power to protect you and love you the best as I can and our children."
Sophie blushed and nodded her head. "I… Well, you can prove it in your actions and deeds, Leland. Do not say anything at all because I prefer you to just do what you promise yourself secretly. I don't need grand vows and promises."
The Alpha looked at his mate with a slightly somber expression. Leland could feel that Sophie's first husband had failed to keep his promises to her and that made Sophie unhappy when a person made promises.
He wanted to change Sophie's heart and mind.
Leland was looking forward to the day when Sophie would truly be healed from the scars and pain that her first husband inflicted upon her. On that day, Leland would vow, promise and make an oath that would please his mate.
"But wow, we're finally moving to Livstad." Sophie said and decided to change the topic. She was in the study with Leland and soon looked at a map with him. "That's about two weeks away and I have never been there."
"Are you excited?" Leland chuckled.
Sophie smiled and nodded. "Yes, I truly am. I've never been there, only my cousins."
Leland's expression soured slightly as he remembered Sophie's wicked cousins. He cleared his throat and looked at his wife with a loving expression and spoke sincerely to her.
"When that day comes and I have ended the royal family, I will name the entire palace after you and decorate it for you." the Alpha said. "The entire capital will be yours and we can rule the whole kingdom together, then the entire continent."
Sophie blinked for a moment and was stunned with his words. "A-ah… yes, about that, Leland?"
"Yes, Sophia?"
Sophie's expression became a little serious as she looked at her husband. "What will happen when you become the Great King of Lycans? You… you don't plan on doing anything else besides ending the royal family, right?"
This was what Leland was a little worried about. He cleared his throat and folded his hands together. "The royal family's entire bloodline will be ended. They are a family whose only concern is maintaining power."
"I… I understand that. They are prejudiced and raised the entire kingdom of Riga to hate lycans and despise your people," Sophie said.
"Our people," Leland corrected.
Sophie and Leland looked at each other inside of the study room and it suddenly became a little tense, if not a little awkward. Sophie tended to forget that she was also a lycan as Leland and his people were also hers.
"Our people, yes…" Sophie sighed. "I am also a lycan like you and yet I am still a human as well."
However, it didn't change the fact that Sophie was also human. Her human side was actually much stronger and she took a lot after her father, Jack Hansley. Nobody could deny it.
"I know that, Sophia." Leland sighed a little and glanced out the window from his study room. He was truly glad that they have decided to converse in the privacy of this room and not the balcony where other lycans could eavesdrop on them.
The elder lycan had been quiet and lurking probably because he had no argument against taking in Sophie, but her words just now were something that the lycans would completely disagree with.
"Then that's good." Sophie bit on her lip and didn't know how to approach her husband on this topic. "I do have something to tell you, Leland. Are you willing to listen to me? This is important."
"Yes." Leland looked her in the eye. "Please don't hesitate and say what is in your heart, Sophia."
"I won't."
"Good."
After all the loving reunion between them, the wonders of finally treating each other as husband and wife, the two of them didn't actually expect this to be brought up and for the situation to suddenly become tense.
The Alpha more than anyone else in the lycan pack knew what were the concerns of his mate and he truly understood the hesitations that Sophie had.
"You…" Sophie awkwardly folded her hands and looked him in the eye. "Leland, you've lived with my family haven't you?"
"Of course," Leland smiled at her. "Jack and Anne Hansley were wonderful parents and an incredible couple. I will not forget that, Sophia."
"Yes." Sophie smiled at her husband. "Yes, so you understand where I'm coming from when I say that I hope you and your pack aren't going to be doing terrible things to the kingdom of Riga right?"
"On the contrary, we will make the kingdom of Riga prosper," Leland said. "Once we have finished the royal family and take over, a lot of packs will actually be excited to come and occupy the lands…"
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